Concealed weapons permits still open records

[OakRidgeStars]

http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2010/03/2 ... news36.txt

http://tinyurl.com/ycx23wl

Concealed weapons permits still open records
By Shadae Lee/Capital News Service
Monday, March 29, 2010 8:40 AM EDT

RICHMOND - You can still go to your local courthouse to see if someone has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

A bill that would have prevented the public from accessing concealed handgun records and applications failed during the General Assembly's recently completed session.

House Bill 79, sponsored by Delegate R. Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, stated that court clerks "shall withhold from public disclosure permit applications and information regarding identifiable permittees" The legislation would have made the permit information available only to law-enforcement agencies.

The House of Delegates voted 87-10 in favor of the bill. However, the proposal died in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun rights group, supported the proposal, saying it would protect the privacy - and possibly the lives - of concealed handgun permit owners.

Philip Van Cleave, the league's president, said some individuals who have concealed weapons permit are hiding from violent ex-spouses or have had their lives threatened.

But Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, said she was pleased to see HB 79 defeated.

She said it's important for concealed weapons permits to remain open to public inspection. That way, people are able to monitor the permit process to make sure localities are processing applications properly, Rhyne said.

Reporters accessed such records in January after a man shot and killed eight people in Appomattox County. Local newspapers reviewed concealed weapons applications and found that the suspect, Christopher Speight, a 39-year-old security guard, had a permit to carry a concealed firearm.

"Access to these records is not just about finding out who has a permit and whether those people should have a permit, but it is important," Rhyne said.

Also, because the records are public, it is possible to contact permit holders about educational, marketing or recreational opportunities.

Until 2007, Virginia had a centralized database that citizens could use to look up concealed weapons permits. The information now is available only at the courthouse for a particular county or city.

Van Cleave and Rhyne agree that someone's life may be put in jeopardy by someone gaining access to a permit application.

However, Rhyne said the same problem can arise with information contained on any public record and information published on the Internet.

"The solution is to employ law enforcement and the court system to punish people who make threats or attempt violence against others - not to close off access to public records," Rhyne said.


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[wylde007]

This just goes to show that treasonous quisling scumbags are not limited to occupying the federal offices.

[allingeneral]

It's pretty sad really. In my opinion, leaving CHP records open to the public results in treating CHP holders like convicted sex offenders. They might as well post all of our pictures on the board in the courthouse along with our street address.

[JC420IN]

It's pretty sad really. In my opinion, leaving CHP records open to the public results in treating CHP holders like convicted sex offenders.

This is exactly what I was thinking.

[GS78]

It's pretty sad really. In my opinion, leaving CHP records open to the public results in treating CHP holders like convicted sex offenders. They might as well post all of our pictures on the board in the courthouse along with our street address.

Well, I say the water is fine, its just a little warmer than it was a while ago......

[BluemontGlock]

Should be quite a show when someone attempts to contact via my CCP info to
inform me of " educational, marketing or recreational opportunities."
TSk.....Tsk.....Tsk,

Legal...appareantly.

Recomended...not at the slightest.

[GS78]

why would someone want to go to a courthouse and search records to find out if someone else has guns?.........

[communicator7]

Just remember that someone can get other types of information at the courthouse like your address. Is nothing sacred anymore?

[Dragonfly]

It's pretty sad really. In my opinion, leaving CHP records open to the public results in treating CHP holders like convicted sex offenders. They might as well post all of our pictures on the board in the courthouse along with our street address.

Wonder how an online record of all the DUI’s with name and address would go over

[zephyp]

Things like this going on all over. I think there is something called the Privacy Act of 1994 in play here and it applies to things like name and address when found together.

Young had to get a new social security card and she changed her first name as well but ONLY with the SSA. Her ex registered her as YONG when she fist got here about 30 years ago and she has legally been going by that all these years. I suggested she change it at the SSA and they did it for her. Funny thing today she got a piece of junk mail for a free cruise addressed to YOUNG at this address. We've only been here since last October. She has not put out the name YOUNG anywhere else...I'm going to call the SSA...